sorry doesn't fix the rotting you spread
by PanicWithAsh
Summary: "We need to talk," Seth hears himself say more than he consciously says it. He watches Roman's back tense, watches the easy breathing stop, watches every single ounce of happiness in Roman ooze away from his body like he knows what this is about. Filled for a prompt on Tumblr. Rolleigns. Break up. Angst. Infidelity.


_Disclaimer: The author is in no way, shape, or form in any form of association with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), any of the wrestlers mentioned in this story, or anything else. I just wrote the thing. Please enjoy._

 _ **Warning: Infidelity, break-up, angst.**_

 _ **Prompt summarized: Seth's been cheating with Dean and leaves Roman for Dean.**_

 ** _This is the Rolleigns break up._**

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The morning's too bright. The sun's rising and setting a fresh glow around the world, Roman's standing at the stove cooking while he hums under his breath, and Seth… Seth's standing there watching. His heart is going in a constant dribbling motion. It's in his throat when he goes to speak and in his stomach when he goes to move. This has been a long time coming, that much he knows. He knows that he has to put an end to it before the hurt just keeps piling up.

With his heart dropping into his stomach once more, Seth steps into the room, thinking about the text he had woken up to this morning from Dean. He thinks about the little _good morning_ that Dean probably spent a full minute trying to text just because he wanted to remind Seth that he cared; that he thought of him. He thinks about all the little things that Dean has done to let Seth know that if he wanted him, he was going to be there. He thinks of all the guilt he sees in Dean's eyes before Seth manages to make him forget.

They weren't proud of the things that they were doing. He and Dean failed to take pride in each other when they knew how much pain it was going to cause Roman when they finally came clean. People always like to describe cheating as a poison that eats away at a person. For a while, Seth thought that was the case, until he met Dean.

With Dean, it wasn't poison. It wasn't poison at all. It didn't tear away at them and leave them feeling broken, no matter how deep that guilt ran. _No_ , it made them whole. Two pieces cut from the same clothes; two broken halves mending together once more. It felt like coming home. In his mind though, he knows, no matter how good that sounds it will never be enough to save all of them from the hurt.

Roman must hear him enter the room, for he turns his head and blinds Seth with a dazzling smile. He always smiles at Seth like this, on bright mornings and dull mornings alike. He aims all of his happiness at Seth like Seth is the thing that makes him the happiest man in the world. A rotting feeling occurs in his stomach, leaving him feeling like he was dying from the inside out. He supposes it would be just what he deserved if that was the case.

"Good morning, baby," Roman greets him, his back facing Seth again as he goes back to making breakfast. In the back of Seth's mind, a voice is screaming at him for being so stupid. How could he ever think of leaving a perfect god like Roman for someone like Dean? A man who he couldn't stand to begin with and who he had only tried to get along with for Roman's sake? How could something so perfect with Roman make Seth feel so god damn _incomplete_?

"We need to talk," Seth hears himself say more than he consciously says it. He watches Roman's back tense, watches the easy breathing stop, watches every single ounce of happiness in Roman ooze away from his body like he knows what this is about. Maybe he does. Maybe he's always known. Seth can't be sure just how obvious Dean and himself made it, no matter how hard they tried to hide. The burner of the stove is turned off slowly, with an audible click of the dial. Seth finds that his eyes train to the floor when Roman goes to turn around. He can't possibly think of facing him when he was about to break his heart. He can already feel his own heart aching.

"Do we?" Roman questions as the rotting feeling in Seth's stomach travels up to his throat. He can practically taste himself falling apart, even if he knows this would be better. For _both_ of them.

Seth can only nod, trying to shake the rotting feeling from his tongue so he could speak; so he could explain himself. He needs to do something other than stand there while Roman looks at him, waiting for Seth to say something else. Just as Seth is finally working to say something, he catches just the faintest whisper from Roman asking, "Do we have to?"

Seth feels whatever dam he had containing his tears crack and breach without warning. Tears are immediately filling his eyes and he has to force a laugh to keep the sob in his chest from sounding. He forces himself to look up, knowing that it's the least he could do to remain being an at least _decent person_. "W-We have to," Seth confirms in a whimper as he desperately wipes at his tear-filled eyes. "I can't keep… I can't keep lying to you, Ro. I can't keep up this game and I can't keep hurting you."

The look of confusion that passes over Roman's face makes Seth realize that he really has no idea what's going on. It makes Seth ache that much more as he looks away, towards the wall, doing his best to compose himself and think of the best way to tell Roman what's been going on.

"What are you talking about, Seth?" Roman whispers to him, taking a step forward. Seth rushes to take a step back to fill the distance again, shaking his head desperately. He just hopes Roman understands that he can't be near him if he wants to get this out. "Seth, what the hell's going on?"

Seth doesn't know how else to start than his sobbed out, "I'm sorry." The look that crosses Roman's face when it sounds through the quiet kitchen is devastation, because there aren't many roads this conversation could go down with that opening. "Roman, I-I can't do it anymore." He's taking in a deep, shaky breath. On the exhale, he lets out the confession, "I've been cheating."

The look on Roman's face goes from devastation to disbelief then to anger. It is the quickest Seth's seen Roman's emotions go and he has to take another step back, though he knows Roman would _never_ hurt him. "Cheating?" Roman repeats, his voice taking on a firm and loud tone that has Seth shrinking away. "With who? Is it that _fuck_ Orton who's been messaging you? Or is it Hunter? Because I swear to God, Seth-…"

"It's Dean."

The words are out and a deafening silence follows them as Roman's face falls again into _anguish_. Lips work over words that don't sound and Seth can practically see Roman crumpling in front of him. He can see each muscle rigid and closer to giving out with each moment that passes. Finally, Roman stumbles his way to a chair and he sits, his hand going into his hands. Seth feels like he just broke the strongest man he has ever known.

" _Why_?" is the next thing that comes out of Roman's mouth, but Seth doesn't think he really wants to know why. The answer wouldn't make it hurt any less. The answer wouldn't make him _angry_ at him or Dean and Seth feels like Roman has every right to be angry right now. There shouldn't be anything to damper it. But then Roman looks up at him and gray tear-filled eyes seem to dull the light from the bright morning.

"Because he makes me feel like I'm at home," Seth whispers, given no choice with the way that Roman looks at him. He sees Roman's face crumble once more before it's hidden in large hands. More than anything, Seth wants to try and see that smile from earlier again. He wishes he had never… But at the same time, he knows he had to.

Roman is heaving with silent sobs, his entire frame shaking, and Seth can do nothing but stand there. Soon, Roman's voice is heard again, but the only thing the Samoan croaks is, "Just get out, Seth."

Seth swallows his rotting tongue and walks away to start packing.

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 _ **Thanks for reading.**_

 _ **I am/was honestly in tears over this prompt for multiple reasons, so I hope I destroyed everyone else with me.**_

 ** _My inbox is open for prompts again on Tumblr, if anyone is interested!_**

 ** _You can find me at sethwon on tumblr~_**

 ** _Love you guys~_**

 ** _~Ash_**


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